Category: Rice

Biryanis are made during special occasions and hugely enjoyed by people all across India. Ideally, it is made with mutton and dum-cooked (steam cooked) but can also be made with chicken, vegetables, paneer, soya too. There are 2 kinds of biryanis ‘kachchi’ and ‘pakki’. Kachchi (raw) biryani is the process where marinated raw meat is placed at the bottom of the vessel and layered with fragrant basmati rice; cooked slowly on low heat on dum; whereas Pakki (cooked) biryani is where the rice and meat are cooked separately and layered on dum. Biryani is an art and if nailed right you have a delicious aromatic serving platter on the table to enjoy.

Cooking biryani is a family event back home and made only during celebrations. My mum would make her Kerala style biryani and my brother would make his restaurant style. A good biryani has aroma, taste and flavours; planning and prep work helps too.

Here, the raw chicken is marinated with curd, coriander-mint leaves, host of aromatic spices and caramelized onions with partially cooked fragrant rice in dum where flavours of the chicken are infused in the rice. The use of yellow chilly powder gives colour and the green chillies provide heat to the biryani.

The key things to look at – use fresh ingredients, age-old good quality rice and saffron. Do not overcook rice as it will spoil the entire dish; it should be fluffy and separated. Season the rice well. When the rice is cooked it doubles in size and has a pleasant aroma. Do marinade the chicken for long hours to get a delicious taste. Do not compromise on the onions, as it lends sweetness to the dish; also it has to be crisp and crunchy.

Cut chicken into big pieces making small gashes or pierce the chicken using a fork on a chopping board; clean and drain completely or pat dry. Add the grounded paste* along with the spice powders, curd, salt and oil in a bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine well; cling wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight preferably, undisturbed. After 4 hrs, transfer everything to a large vessel or non-stick pot; now, add fried onions (reserve some for the final garnish). Mix again to combine.**

Wash basmati rice well and soak the rice for 1 hour.

In the meantime, take a wok, add oil and when the oil heats up, add onions and fry till golden brown in colour and crispy. Keep aside.

Heat enough water in a heavy bottom vessel add spices, lemon juice, rose water, ghee and salt. Once it comes to boil, add the rice and allow it to cook. When it is 75%-80% cooked, drain out water completely and transfer half of the rice to the marinated chicken**. Spread evenly.

Add the saffron solution***, fried onions, few coriander-mint leaves, little oil/ghee and finish it off with the remaining rice; repeat process. Cover it with aluminium foil.

Now, place the vessel over a flat pan/tawa, keep the heat on medium-high for 10 minutes. Lower heat and cook slowly for 40-45 minutes or till done.

Switch off heat. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes before uncovering. Once opened, using the prongs of the fork, carefully separate the rice to give a light and fluffy texture.

Like this:

Avocado Rice are fun to make during weekends. I used leftover brown rice and kept it very easy and simple. You can add different variations like carrots or red capsicum to make it look colourful. Also add a tablespoon of any chopped leafy vegetable of your choice to this recipe and make it healthy. Nuts like peanuts, cashew-nuts or almonds can be replaced with raisins. Tear some basil, cilantro and mint leaves into the dish to make it crunchy. If adding sesame seeds, toast it gently on low heat and add it towards the end. It makes a perfect bachelor dinner during weekends.

Brown rice flavoured with creamy and healthy avocado, sweet raisins and zesty hand-squeezed lemon, the best way to use the leftovers for a satisfying meal.

Into a pre-heated oil, in a wok, on medium heat add cumin seeds, raisins; saute until they crackle. Now, add green chillies, garlic and shallots. Saute for 5 minutes till the shallots are soft and translucent.

Garlic Fried Rice also called as Sinangag is the most popular dish of the Philipines. It is steamed rice stir-fried with lots of garlic. You can also use left over rice to prepare this dish. I steamed long grain white rice adding salt and enough water in a cooking pot, drained it and let it in the refrigerator to cool. You can do it in a rice-cooker too. Since, I love garlic and use it extensively in my cooking, I have added a little more; can cut back on that. The star ingredient of this dish is Garlic; do not burn it as garlic turns bitter. Serve it with your favorite main course meal.

Quick steamed rice stir-fried with burst of garlic is a tasty meal at any time.

Heat oil in a skillet or wok. Add garlic, pinch of salt and cook till it turns crispy and golden brown, keeping the heat in medium-low (remove little for garnish).

Rinse your hands (to avoid sticking) to separate the cooked rice making sure there are no lumps. Add the cooked rice. Combine everything nicely and cook further on low heat for about 3-4 minutes tossing it occasionally.

Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish it with the reserved fried garlic on top.